cell phones for kids

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I just happened to be browsing and found this.

If you have young kids who are begging for a cellphone this looks interesting. Relatively cheap too.
 

klmno

Active Member
Thanks! Unfortunately, I am completely cell phone stupid. I wouldn't mind difficult child having one except that it would have to have the gps because my biggest problem with him having a cell is that I have no idea where he is really calling from. My other issues with them are that it prevents kids from giving out the home phone number of their friends (and friends' parents). And there is NO WAY I'd get my kid one with a camera on it. Given all that, it's not worth over $20 a mo to me. Oh- I'd want to limit numbers he could call to on it too.

So, does anyone know what is involved with the gps locator (cost, how does parent check location, etc)? Is is possible to get one with that feature and not get all the other whistles and bells on it? I don't even care if he couldn't text.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
That is why that phone I just put up is interesting for younger kids. You can put up parental controls such as limiting web photo sharing, texting, time they are on, number of minutes they can use and when. You use the gps by going on line and visually seeing the phone on a map. X marks the spot. Just like on CSI or NCIS.

Now you can get these same features on other phone plans too if you have certain family plans with certain companies but sometimes they cost more. This would be cost effective if you have a child or grandchild that is just starting out, is only going to use the phone for say...a few minutes a day...or the unlimited texting. Calling mom maybe when they get home from school or just want to text. Or you want to make sure you can always find them.
 

klmno

Active Member
I'm going to save this link. If I get a job and it looks like difficult child is coming home, maybe I'll get him one for his b-day and give it to him when he gets home.

I'm getting ready to watch the UCLA & UT game now!! Yeah!
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
That is the best thing I've ever seen!!! I'm talking to easy child about it right now and going to get her one for Christmas. I love the WalletManager to help kids learn responsability to share in the paying the bill!!

I'd get one for difficult child but he'd never share the bill, even though he is old enough to have a job ;).

I love the GPS option, that's the draw for me as a parent actually. I'd feel so much better about easy child learning to walk alone to school etc with a GPS in her phone.

Thanks for the web link Janet!!
 

1905

Well-Known Member
Our current contract ends in Dec. I may have to get this for my 2 easy child, especially since the older one just got his license. This is a great deal. I only need a cheap phone too.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
It IS a cool phone. Jessie is a strange teenage girl. She doesn't call anyone. Even before she got so sick and she was in school she didn't use but 30 minutes a month. And those were in network minutes, LOL!!!

We HOPE that soon it will change some, esp if we can get past this health crisis.

thank you is agitating for one. Not for a few years, but we would consider that phone in a hurry.

The other kid's phone has LOUSY call quality. On every network. A friend got her 6 and 8 year olds them and they couldn't even call her. No one could hear anything after they answered the phone but extreme static.
 

JJJ

Active Member
The rates on that phone are brutal. The $4.99/month only includes 10 minutes of talk time.

We got our boys Migos (Verizon) and it allows a parent to program 5 numbers that they can call, it can't text, it does not have a camera, and if you have Verizon it is just $9.99/month to add them to your package. My boys don't know what their Migo numbers are so they can't give them out. It does have Chaperone so for an extra fee (I think it's $5/month) you can track their location too.
 

lmf64

New Member
I got difficult child the LG flip for TracFone. It has all those bells and whistles and no contract, ever. The phone costs like $20 at WalMart. You can add as little as $20 for minutes every three months and still be able to track your kid. Well, maybe you can't track them, but in an emergency 911 can. It has E911 locator in it, so they can track it from the towers it's using. You can use the system security to set the phone so it can only call numbers you have programmed in. This was great since difficult child would loan his phone to anyone and at .50 a minute you don't do that. When anyone asks to use his phone he can say sure you can use it, but only if you're calling my mom, my unc, my grandpa etc.. because Mom locked my phone lol. That way he can be the good guy and I can be the bleep. difficult child has to earn his minutes even when I have it locked. He likes to waste minutes, calling me from his room or outside instead of getting off his butt, or calling me from school when he can get away from the teachers lol. One of these days he's going to wind up losing his phone at school for using it in the wrong area or wrong time. So before you go and sign up for a contract check out TracFone.
 
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